Just In Case
by A.E. Seaflame
Summary: Lily Evans is forced to spend a Christmas with the Marauders, but can one event change her feelings about James? Lily/James ONE-SHOT. ENJOY!


**I've realized how much I REALLY DO like this relationship, so I'm going to write a lot more about it. I've been thinking of actually starting a trilogy for Lily/James, or doing a Rose/Scorpious crossover. What do you guys think? Enjoy the story! Oh, and I don't own Harry Potter. No way.**

* * *

(James's P.O.V.)

Christmas at the Potter Mansion is fun, with Padfoot and my parents and the house-elves. But Christmas at Hogwarts? Heaven.

First, it's because the gorgeous Lily Evans is there. She stays for Christmas every year, although I don't know why. What annoys me the most is how Snivellus knows why and probably a million other things about her, when they're not even close friends anymore.

Second, it's because the rest of the Marauders stay with me except Wormtail, because there's only so much of him you can stand before you get annoyed.

Third, this Christmas at our fifth year is especially important because we're going to try out being an Animagus for one night, but of course, not on the night of the full moon yet. Luckily, Wormtail isn't here to whine about how he can't do it yet and who exactly is going to teach him. Moony's the only who's got the patience for him.

Best of all, I've got a plan to make Lily Evans swooning. Although, I'm not going to say anything yet, just to be annoying.

Annoying is what I _do. _

* * *

(Lily's P.O.V.)

Christmas Break: Day 1 of 14, December 21

I'm lost. Seriously. (No pun intended, I don't care one bit about Black.) Hestia Jones, her twin Katie Jones, and Gwenog Jones have all gone home for their family reunion. Alice Prewett has gone home to introduce Frank to her parents. Marlene McKinnon was whisked away home by her worrying Scottish parents. Worst of all, Mary McDonald, Katie's best friend and my fellow Muggleborn, has to go home for her uncle's wedding.

So everyone's gone. And I'm left alone. Oh, the misery. It's not like _I'm _going to run home now, because Petunia and Vernon are there. Here, however, are the Marauders.

Ugh. The Marauders. No words can describe how much I hate them. Actually, I can describe them pretty well.

Selfish. Arrogant. Inflated. Over-confident. Troublemakers. Cheaters. Lazy. Disgusting. Pricks. Arses. Stupid. Annoying. Irresponsible.

Yes, even Remus, my friend. He explained to me how with me, he's Remus, but with the Marauders, he's as annoying as the rest of them.

Right now, I'm staying cooped up in my dormitory so I don't have to be down _there_ with _them. _I've decided to write a letter to Hestia, my closest friend of the lot, and I'm using a Quotes Quill so it copies down everything I say. Sometimes, I'm just real lazy.

"Dear Hestia," I say aloud as I pace up and down the dorm. "Oh, why do I bother with the dears? It's the first day, and I'm seriously lost. And stop laughing already, okay, no pun intended! Oh, I should send this to Alice, too, okay, so Alice you're listening in now. Well, more of reading in now, but... ah, never mind. The Marauders are downstairs doing who-knows-what- don't you _dare_ Hestia- and I'm cooped up in our dorm, trying to figure what to do in these fourteen days. I would even spend Christmas with Vernon and Petunia- Alice, shut up- yes, I know I won't, but now you can see how much I'm dying."

"Just brew up a potion, then, I suppose," a voice said and I shrieked.

"James Potter, you _prick_, what the BLOODY HELL ARE YOU DOING HERE?" I yelled as the other two Marauders came in, with their brooms by their side.

"Telling you not to die," Sirius Black said, as if it was so _obvious. _

"Alice, Hestia, um, I'll finish up later, ah, never mind, Quill: just copy it all down," I muttered as I glared at the three of them.

"How did you get in here?" I asked, a bit more calmly now.

"Relax, Lily, we just flew a broom here," Remus said.

I replied sarcastically, "Oh, yes, silly me, of course flying a broom up here to invade my privacy is so _natural _because it happens just about _everyday_, right?"

"Right you are, miss," Potter said, nodding seriously, ignoring the sarcasm.

"Exactly what's expected," Black nodded, bowing down to me.

"Get out, you lot," I snapped, as I glanced at the Quill. Still writing.

"But, Lily," Remus said, making a pout. "We don't _want_ you to die," he whined, as his voice became high-pitched.

"I'm not dying, you arses! NOW OUT!" I hollered, raising my wand as the three of them were pushed out the door and slid down the transformed stairs.

"Sorry about that, Alice, Hestia, you see what I've got to deal with for fourteen days! I don't feel like writing any more, or reciting, I mean, so. Love, Lily," I said, and rolled up the parchment and headed to the Owlery, ignoring the smirking Marauders in the common room.

* * *

(Remus's P.O.V.)

Christmas Break: Day 3 of 14, December 23

Today was part one of Operation DPTTGAG(Desperate Prongs Trying To Get A Girlfriend), which we only say behind his back. He won't admit it, but the plan is rather desperate, if you ask me. But I know Lily will like it, so oh well. What can I do about it?

Let us begin.

I'm now waiting in my favorite armchair in the common room for the signal, which is two screams and an "Oh yeah..." (Padfoot's idea, not mine.)

Lily's curled up on the couch, reading _The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe_ which a Muggle classic written two decades ago, in 1950. Yeah, I know. WAY old.

Two screams. Lily barely looks up from her book. An "Oh yeah...". Lily rolls her eyes and tries to fight off a smile.

Oh, what am I doing, narrating Lily's life? Remus Lupin, unusual werewolf/swot(adds Prongs and Padfoot, all the time, and sometimes Wormtail).

Anyways, I know now I have to get into action. I stand and sit down next to Lily on the couch. "Hi, Lily," I said, brightly.

* * *

(Lily's P.O.V.)

Christmas Break: Day 3 of 14, December 23

Two screams, an "Oh yeah" and the Marauders think I'm stupid enough not to know it's some sort of signal, especially because right after that, Remus jumps onto the couch next to me and starts greeting me. Which is real strange, as we've been in this room for THIRTY MINUTES and he decided to acknowledge me now?

So, I, Lily Evans, Gryffindor Prefect know the Marauders well enough to see Remus is a distraction. They're probably planning a prank and want to sneak out without me catching them, obviously. It's not like they have some sort of Invisibility Cloak and can sneak through the Common Room without me noticing. Puh-_lease. _

"Remus, I'm not an idiot, you know. What are you planning?" I said, getting straight to the point.

Remus bit his lip and says in an unnaturally high voice, "What plans? I don't know anything. I just came to sit here. Yes, I came to sit here." Remus is almost as bad of a liar as Pettigrew. Almost.

I crossed my arms and raised my wand, and he flinched. Trust the Marauders to be afraid of my incredible abilities with a wand. He said quickly, "Lily, it's a big prank in which we turn the Slytherin's hair green and their skin silver, so yeah."

I relaxed slightly. "Oh, thanks for telling me. I'm glad, Remus." I gave him a friendly hug and whispered in his ear, "But you don't ever reveal the secrets that quick. I know something's up."

Grinning, I released Remus and continued to read of Edmund's fantastic adventures. From the corner of my eye, I could see him panicking slightly, no wait, a LOT.

Just then, when I was positive he was at breaking point, Potter runs up to me, and yells, "Evans! Evans!"

Barely looking up, I said, "No, no, no, no, no, no, and no. Okay? Now leave me in peace. And just for extra measure: NO!"

"C'mon, this is different," Potter said, looking at me with those _gorgeous_ hazel eyes. NO, WHY AM I THINKING THAT? I DON'T LIKE HAZEL EYES! NO,NO!

"Fine," I said, looking at my toes, blushing. He grinned up at me and went down on one knee before me.

"Lily Evans, will you marry me?" Potter asks.

I'm frozen.

_You know it's a prank. Honey, it's a prank. _

But he's so... handsome!

_You're only in fifth year. It's a prank. It's a prank. _

But look at the ring!

_You're not of age. It's a prank._

You're right. It's a prank.

"Evans?" Potter asks, looking at me. I'm shaken out of my two-minded war.

"Er, no..." I said, trailing off in the distance.

Potter gives a fake gasp. "Evans? Did I just see a flicker of... longing?" He grinned. "I knew you'd fall for me in the end."

"The end isn't near yet, Potter. I'll fall for you when hell freezes over," I said, although not as ferociously. Flushing, I stormed upstairs to my dorm. Maybe a comfy bed would sort out my feelings.

But it didn't.

* * *

(James's P.O.V.)

Christmas Break: Day 4 of 14, December 24

I know she was just LONGING to marry me, or be with me. She looked so unsure, so angry, and so furious. She was falling for me.

"I knew it would happen one day," I said triumphantly for about the one thousandth time that day.

"Right..." Padfoot said uncertainly. "And refusing to marry you is perfect proof because..."

I ignored him and turned to Moony. "You believe me, right?"

"Well, the facts aren't clearing up. I'm sorry, Prongs. Never happening."

I sighed, defeated. If they were going to believe me, I would just have to proof it to them. Another plan was forming was in my mind. But for now, I decided to creep out Evans, who would come pretty soon. She would have to leave her dorm eventually and face the facts.

* * *

(Lily's P.O.V.)

Christmas Break: Day 4 of 14, December 24

I am never going to leave my dorm eventually and face the facts. I'll miss the bloody Christmas feast if I have to! But I've been getting really sick and dizzy being cooped up in here, all day, and the house elves have been ordered by someone not to bring food to me(probably the Marauders, attempting to lure me downstairs.)

"Well, guess what, you Marauders?" I yelled, although nobody come hear me. "YOU'VE WON!"

I couldn't get the image of those brilliant hazel eyes out of my mind. This was probably the worst Christmas. _Ever. _

_But you have to go down eventually. Just clean up and pretend you don't notice them. _

For the first time, I listening to my enemy: the mind. I washed in the girls' bathroom, and walked down the stairs to the Common Room.

Immediately, I heard some whispering and stood at the last step.

The sight was unbelievable.

Potter was proposing to Black I believe. "Padfoot, will you marry me?" he asked, tears glinting in his eyes. Merlin, what's with this boy and marriage? _Didn't he get enough yesterday? _I thought bitterly.

Remus was on the floor, dying from laughter. Black nodded, his hands on Potter's cheek. "Yes, I do!"

"Truly?" Potter asked, wiping tears from eyes.

Black said, "Truly." They both hugged as Black stage-whispered, "Save it for the bed tonight."

Feeling slightly nauseous, I ran upstairs back to the safety of my dorm, a homo-free zone.

And when I sat for the Christmas feast at the Gryffindor table, I sat next to Remus, who was also avoiding the new couple.

And I hid under the table when Black annnounced his marriage to the entire Hall, ending with a pointed look at McGonagall, saying, "Oh, Minerva! Our relationship must end, my heart belongs to James Potter now! I will miss our wonderful time together!"

There was no denying it. The Marauders were nuts.

* * *

(Remus's P.O.V.)

Christmas Break: Day 5 of 14, December 25

Merry Christmas everyone! Although I'm much more worried about Prongs and Padfoot, because now kids are running to me asking me if they're really the latest gay couple. McGonagall hasn't been seen since last night, and everyone's saying she went for vacation to get away from Padfoot. Hogwarts is litterally the throne room of gossip, but I think it's true. Anyone would leave this castle, even me, to get away from Padfoot.

Prongs's is doing the second part of the plan today. Lily should be expecting a surprise in her Christmas gifts. It's going to work. Redheads, especially one like Lily love corny and cheesy stuff. I have to hand it to Prongs, he does know his novels(even though I advise him half of the time on his plans). Moving on.

Prongs, Padfoot and I stood, covered by the Invisibility Cloak, looking at Lily, who was still sleeping. The alarm sounded and the girl woke up.

* * *

(Lily's P.O.V)

Christmas Break: Day 5 of 14, December 25

I woke up, a big smile on my face as I glanced at the pile of presents on the floor. I started with big ones, loving the books and sweaters everyone got me, and Molly Weasley's delicious treacle tarts and mince pies. I suppose she'll never stop thanking me for helping her marry Arthur Weasley last year. Alice, the good girl, gave me a friendship bracelet, and Hestia gave me signed Michael Jackson albums. How she got them, I'll never know.

The smallest of the gifts was a silver box with a fancy gold ribbon. I unwrapped it carefully, not knowing who else would give me a gift. Inside the box was a wrapped cushion and a note on top.

_Lily Evans,_

_I've been crazy about you since I saw you at King Cross Station in our first year. I'm sorry about what I did yesterday, but I was positive you were going to marry me at that moment. Now I'm giving you the ring, because I know I'll win your heart someday and that ring will be on your finger._

_You can throw it out if you want, but I refuse to buy another ring when the time comes._

_Yours truly,_

_James Potter _

I gasped, because the note was so sweet. It wasn't at all like arrogant James Potter, it showed a kind, sweet side to him. I slipped the ring on my finger and admired the way it caught the light.

I sighed, putting it on my index finger instead. "You're right, James Potter," I muttered, a hint of a smile on my face. "I'll keep this on my finger, and who knows? I might have to move it one day. But I'm keeping this." I looked at the silver ring lined with exquisite diamonds.

"Well, rich boy," I said aloud. "I'll wear it. Just in case."

Because who knows what the future will bring? In a parallel world, I am madly in love with James Potter. He was right. I did feel tempted yesterday.

This ring is going to remind me of his soft side. I'll never throw it. It'll be with me.

Just

In.

Case.

* * *

**Aww, well that was sweet! Sorry for not being on FOREVER, I went to New Hampshire for a while with my family. So what do you guys think about the ideas of starting my trilogy or crossover? Hmm? Follow, favorite, review! Until next time... :)**


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